New Dinosaur on the Block? Utah’s Prehistoric VIP List May Be Growing

Arches Country Just Got a Little More Jurassic

Utah has never exactly been shy about producing dinosaur celebrities. From Utahraptor to giant long-necked salad munchers, our state has a fossil résumé that would make most places jealous. Now researchers working near Arches National Park think they may have uncovered the next big name in prehistoric fame.

At a newly excavated site called the Ironstone Bonebed near Moab, paleontologists have found fossils that appear to belong to a previously unknown species of armored dinosaur. The fossils come from rocks estimated to be roughly 138 to 141 million years old, placing them near the transition between the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

Meet the Mystery Tank

Before anyone starts printing trading cards, the dinosaur is still waiting on official scientific confirmation. Researchers must carefully compare the bones with known species and complete a formal description before declaring they've discovered something brand new.

Still, the clues are exciting. Scientists say the site already contains fossils from at least four different dinosaur groups, suggesting Ironstone Bonebed could become one of Utah's most important fossil discoveries in decades.

Utah's Time Machine Keeps Delivering

What makes this dig especially juicy is its age. The site may help scientists understand what happened after many famous Jurassic dinosaurs disappeared and how new species took over the prehistoric landscape.

Read More: Is THIS the Best Museum in Utah??

In other words, Utah is once again reminding the world that beneath all that red rock scenery are millions of years of secrets just waiting to poke a fossilized elbow through the dirt and say, "Surprise."